Find your interests and talents

Find balance between working and resting

Find ways to relax

Find enjoyment

Find a purpose

What Doesn't Work

Trying to live up to your and other people’s expectations based on what you used to be able to do

Being self-judgmental

Worrying about "should's" and "have to's"

Having advocates who don't listen

Expecting others to make your life better

Comparing your new self with your old self

Trying to be who you are not

Believing what isn't true

Having family that doesn't accept your injury

Believing that life is over or will never get better

Not adapting to change

Having people say you'll never be able to do things

People saying "you are lucky"

People saying “I know how you feel"

People telling you, “You look great”, when you aren't feeling great

Questions to Answer

How much do I tell others about my injury? Not everyone needs to know everythingWhich battles do I want to fight? Not all battles are worth fighting, not all victories are worth the cost. Sometimes fighting is not the best way to get what you need.

Here is the inspiring song our group wrote with Trevor Berens, Intern, SRH.I Can See Clearly Now

(new verses composed by the BABIS group, April 14, 2012)

Over the time we will recover

The pain in our brain will go away

A brand new life we will discover

The sun will rise and shine all day

BABIS is the only way.

We have survived and now the worst is gone.

It’s not the same but we can make a change

Every day will bring a brand new dawn.

It’s gonna be a bright, bright sunshiny day.

I know good can get better

I feel it as I write each letter.

We can’t lose hope now, we’ll be fine.

It’s gonna be a bright bright sunshiny day.

Gone is the trauma we’ve been enduring

It’s time’s turn to work on the curing.

Now we can see future pages advancing.

Today is a bright sunshiny day.

It is a beautiful day at BABIS.

We all get together to support eachother.

All of our days at Spaulding are getting better.

Today is a bright sunshiny day.

We can see clearly now what life has been.

It’s been a long road, look how far we’ve come.

Help and support with your hand in mine

With hope as our guide, (guide) we’ll all find our way.

I care so dearly now, my chains are gone.

My limitations can be overcome

Even though rain on brain has caused me pain.

Gonna have freedom now till I die.

Poems inspired by the song

As long as the walls are down my life is better.

It’s nice to be surrounded by a group of friends.

Using our good judgment will keep us safe forever,

Our common interest is the safety of others.

We will find support from each other through the ups and downs.

Thank God for grandeous delusions

The whole world looks sunshiny.

Each day is brighter and lighter

The world is full of laughter and play

This makes my life better day by day.

Support from peers and friends will never end.

Sunshine never ends, it’s outside

Everywhere gathering strength.

Once we start thinking and acting like children

We will have a better day.

Chaosticasmic—

“A word that didn’t exist until music gave it a place.

“Watch out for the rain; It made rainbows in the sky,

Multicolored rainbows show us the route in a chaosticasmic way.”

“Yeah, we’re building a bridge here!”

Here's the beautiful poem our group wrote wtih Philip Hasouris in February 2012:

I am a survivor I am splatt I want to see my wife I am here to have fun Maybe the future is within our reach The music sounds good I wonder what’s for lunch Have I really lost something We are going to win the super bowl I’d like to be on an island in the Pacific Ocean I love my life and family The stars above Is this a group discussion I am alive and happy I am a member of the Boston Brain Injury Association The quality of people is un-researched Photographs record their lives Making up a poem is in the hearing Rain in Spain Bed at night You have to reinvent yourself The road to my healing Satisfaction unfound On a cold winter’s day I found warmth writing a poem with a group of strangers I ponder why this happend to me Friendship is nice to have